


And We Will Fade Faster than the Sun

by smaragdbird



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom
Genre: Age Difference, Bittersweet Ending, M/M, Pre-Movie(s), being in love when the world ends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-05-15 17:30:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5793520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smaragdbird/pseuds/smaragdbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His relationship with John wasn’t like the one he had with Charles. John and he had been forged by circumstance, not by fate.  This was likely the only timeline, the only universe they would ever meet in.</p>
<p>aka John and Erik say their goodbyes before Erik heads off to change the past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And We Will Fade Faster than the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this ](http://xmen-firstkink.livejournal.com/11912.html?thread=23175048#t23175048) prompt on xmen-firstkink

“When’s the Professor picking you up?” John asked when Erik came into the cave they used as their hiding place for the moment. When they had chosen it, John had joked about the lasting appeal Erik seemed to hold for caves.

“Tomorrow”, Erik answered. He wasn’t sure whether John would welcome his company or not. While his temper certainly had calmed down John would forever remain unpredictable even to Erik. “You could come with me.”

John shook his head. “You and the Professor...I have no place there.” For a moment he looked like the lost boy that had joined Erik all those years ago. The sight made Erik’s heart clench painfully in his chest.

“Can’t say I’m not jealous”, John said, fire slithering between his fingers like a snake. When Erik remained silent, he smirked. “What? No quick reassurance of your undying affection for me?”

“I did not think you needed one.”

“Last night on earth and all that.” The snake shot up into the air and exploded, fire raining down and extinguishing itself before it could reach anything flammable. John looked at Erik and it seemed as if the fire was right there inside his eyes, licking and flickering and so very much alive. “What do you say?”

“Since when do you need me to state the obvious?” Erik replied. 

John gave him a quick grin and pulled him into a kiss. 

/////

“I’m getting too old for this”, Erik said afterwards.

John laughed and let a fore ball hover above them, leaning back on his elbows to watch it. “If the plan works we’ll all be dead”, he said, staring into the flames. “Not literally but the people we are now, they will have never existed. I can’t decide whether that’s better or worse than actually dying.”

There was nothing Erik could say to that so he stayed silent and watched John. 

“Where do you want to send him?” John asked.

“1972”, Erik said.

John created a butterfly from the fire and let it fly through the room. “I wasn’t even born then. Means I could literally vanish from existence. We’ll never meet.”

A part of Erik wanted to reassure him that that wouldn’t happen. That they would always find each other no matter in what kind of life they’d wound up. But he couldn’t. His relationship with John wasn’t like the one he had with Charles. John and he had been forged by circumstance, not by fate. This was likely the only timeline, the only universe they would ever meet in. “Does it matter in which life I’m in love with you?”

John tore his eyes away from the flames and gave Erik a grin just as blindingly bright as the sun. “Never thought I’d hear you say those words. At least not to me. And hey, it only took you what, fifteen years?”

“I was not in love with you when you were sixteen”, Erik scoffed.

John laughed. “Admit it, you only picked me up back then because you thought I was a hot piece of ass.”

“Perhaps I should tell Logan to advise my younger self not to pick up any moody teenagers”, Erik replied dryly.

“You love me, you said it”, John grinned.

“I’m starting to wonder why.”

“As if anyone could say no to this”, John said, leaning back on his elbows so the fire could illuminate his naked body better. The light flickered and licked over John’s skin and scars and Erik realised he would miss this. Loving John was so easy, so uncomplicated compared to loving Charles – and sure it wasn’t all-consuming and larger than life but Erik started to suspect that true love wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

“What you’re looking at?”

“You.”

“And?”

“You’re not so bad.”

“Don’t outdo yourself with the compliments.”

“Fine”, Erik fought a smile and lost. “You’re beautiful and I love you. What more do you want?”

“You”, John licked his lips. “Think you can make it through a second round, old man?”

//////

“Hey”, John said just as Erik stepped onto the ramp. “I love you, too.” He pulled Erik into one last kiss before stepping back and letting him go.

“What was that about?” Logan asked but Charles only gave him a sympathetic look that was almost too much to bear.

“Nothing that concerns you”, Erik told him. It was nothing to linger on. Soon enough none of this would have ever happened.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me [ here](http://smaragdbird.tumblr.com/) on tumblr


End file.
